1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to process/apparatus for carrying out reactions between at least two gaseous phases, in particular at high temperature and, more particularly, for the direct synthesis of hydrochloric acid.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to this art that, typically, reactions featuring gas-liquid contact give rise to a problem as regards the quality or efficacy of the contacting between such plural, disparate phases.
In French Patent No. 2,257,326, it was first proposed to form pairs, each constituted of an element of volume of liquid and an element of volume of gas, in accordance with which a given assemblage of trajectories was established for contacting substances which therefore occur in different phases, wherein at least one gaseous phase serves to form an axially symmetrical helically spinning flow configuration, and at least one liquid phase is introduced along the axis of symmetry of said axial flow-vortex flow configuration, into the region in which there is a relative depression in said axial flow-vortex flow configuration, the momentum of the elements of volume of the axial helically spinning flow configuration with respect to that of the elements of volume of the axial phase being such that said axial spinning flow configuration causes the axial phase to be distintegrated, dispersed and entrained, and possibly treated by the axial spinning flow configuration within the associations of elements of volume of the disparate phases (gas-liquid pairs) which are thus formed.
The momentary existence of such "donor-acceptor pairs" of energy and/or matter was utilized (French Patent No. 2,508,818) to provide for selective distribution of energy based upon virtually instantaneous, systematic and oriented distribution of the particles by and throughout the driving gas:
(i) virtually instantaneous because it corresponds to conditions of high-energy mixing (ratio between the initial amounts of momentum);
(ii) systematic because it associates an element of the driving gas with each element of fluid, initially axial, without omission or repetition, and
(iii) oriented because it defines an origin of the treatment and an initial trajectory which are common to the driving gas and to the elements of the other fluids which are entrained.
The reactions which take place at high temperature constitute an attractive aspect for prospective application of such concept.
The method heretofore employed by the assignee hereof in the case of gas-liquid contact makes it possible to supply the energy necessary to establish the beginning of the main reaction in the gaseous phase by way of the initial gaseous phase. The time required for creation, systematic distribution and vaporization of the reactants of the initial liquid is thus utilized to produce a homogeneous mix of the initial gas and the vapor of the liquid on a scale and under physical-chemical conditions such that the principal reaction in gaseous homogenous phase may take place under optimum conditions.
The above-indicated time may be considered as corresponding to a delayed effect, the advantage of which may be taken in the case of gas-liquid contact.
On the other hand, in that situation wherein the reactants are supplied in gaseous state, the problem which arises is that of obtaining the same quality of intimately admixing the substances which are to be brought together, as in the case of contact between a gaseous phase and a liquid phase in accordance with the aforesaid process, before the commencement of the particularly rapid reaction in the gaseous phase.
Also to be considered is the fact that it is deliberately intended to conduct such operations at elevated temperatures and therefore within ranges where the reaction speeds are even faster, which may result in local incompatible distortion phenomena on the reaction profiles in regard to levels of concentration and therefore temperatures.